Ignorance is Not Bliss in Safe Driving

As high school students, most of us have often groaned about our
classes not being applicable in our day-to-day lives. Driver
education is different from the rest; you can be sure of its
relevance in daily life for decades to come, not just as a handy
tool, but as a life saver. Aside from knowing road signs and
markings, a critical part in drivers ed is performing
procedures in response to external condition. Following a
three-second distance between the car in front, watching for black
ice, correctly handling a “stale green” light, and easing it up
when taking a sharp curve help prevent several potential accidents.
The other critical part is knowing the dangers of distracted driving,
DUI, and ignorance of seat belts. In addition to being drunk or high,
countless drivers die because they did not see what was in front of
them, since they were staring at their cell phone.
The trick to
avoiding fatal crashes is simply to not be drunk or high. Be aware of
how much time has passed since your last drink, and how much
substance was consumed. Get in the habit of always putting on seat
belts before the vehicle is in motion. Remember that eating or
multitasking can wait; only do so when the vehicle is at rest. All of
these issues, along with making safe physical maneuvers, are
discussed somewhere in a drivers ed course. Take them to heart;
never forget them.
I came face to
face with the threat of irresponsible driving when I was six years
old, my dad behind the wheel. As the car passed through the
intersection of two multilane roads, another driver had just run a
red light in the perpendicular direction. I mainly remember the car
spinning out of control, with no warning whatsoever. The impact on
the vehicle was by no means minor. One door was nearly obliterated,
the metal exterior deeply caved in; the door was soon replaced. Such
an accident could be caused by a drunk driver with an impaired
reaction time while approaching the light. It could simply be a close
call, where the driver thinks he can make the light, but his
instincts are misguided.
In order to
avoid this situation from arising again, I have assured myself in
avoiding DUI, without exceptions. I am limiting myself to when I take
my eyes off the road to call, text, or adjust the heat or radio
settings. After the accident, I am clearly aware of the importance of
knowing what to do when a light turns red, with little time to react,
and it is still hard for me sometimes. Still, I am taking serious
thoughts on how to improve my ability to operate a vehicle near
intersections, as well as on the road in general.